Let Me Tell You Something…

You were adamant about not wanting to spend money – again. You thought the Do It Yourself products from the home supply store were the answer. You kept applying those store bought pesticides, but somehow, you never quite got a handle on your pest situation. I know – it’s infuriating.

So… you took the plunge and hired a pest control professional. Congrats!

Thank you for allowing us into your homes and businesses. We are happy to be here. We truly want to help.

As you are telling us about everything you have tried to do to get the pest levels under control, we are thinking about all the reasons you should have called us first. Pest control should not be DYI. We have training and licensing for a reason.

Here are 15 THINGS that your PCO really wants to say to you, but you don’t want to hear.

1. Those store bought pesticides are OK, but you really need the quality of Commercial Grade products.

2. Did you bother to read the labels? For PPE requirements? For treatment frequency? I doubt it.

3. Why did you let your kids handle this? You know young ones put everything in their mouths.

4. You’ve got multiple products that have the same MOA. Do you even know what Mode Of Action is?

5. This label says only use every 21 days. That means I can’t use that same Active Ingredient for you today.

6. You tried using antifreeze to catch a mouse. In the kitchen? Near your food? OMG!

7. Coffee grounds smell great, but the fact that you placed them as a “barrier” is probably why you have cockroaches.

8. NO! Rodent bait blocks in the bathroom won’t kill spiders.

9. Yes, hairspray WILL kill a wasp on the patio. You did this when your BBQ grill was on? I’m surprised you didn’t burn your house down.

10. No, I won’t come back to see the dead bugs. I’ll take your word for it.

11. Cornmeal, black pepper, oregano, and vinegar is a great start to a home cooked Italian meal. Not great for ants.

13. No! Spraying pesticides won’t kill mice, but you could drown them in a bucket full.

12. Rubbing alcohol isn’t labeled for pesticide use, but thanks for killing germs on the mattress.

14. Bird seed feeds the birds, but leftovers feed the mice.

15. I’ll see your Internet reference, but raise you my trusted industry knowledge on this issue.

To my fellow Pest Control Professionals: Always treat your customers with respect and handle each situation with grace. THEN… share all of these stories with each other.